Ice spur



C. L. PENNEY Nov. 18, 1952 ICE SPUR Filed Dec. 13, 1949 iEEL 6 n a J 0 m w J P J g M M n e E m; 4 W m 6 AT. a E MW J E 4 m 1 m1 1 .3 a; mm 4 7 .1 E 9 l- J 4 z Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,618,079 for; SPUR "mien-a L. Penney, Mason City, Iowa Artisans matter 13, 1949,"sasiiw nsan 3 Claims. 01. 3641 v The present invention relates toimprovements inahti-slipping and traction increasing devices, and in particular to an ice creeper having a surface engaging spur adapted to be worn on the shoe while walking or'traveling'on smooth slippery surfaces.

.One object is to'provide an anti-slipping and traction increasing device with an ice engaging sbur'wmeh is adapted to be projected beyond the plane offthe us'ers shoe sole and heel when traveling. and walking over icy or smooth surf'a'ces'to prevent slipping and, falling thereon. 4 IAnother object isj'to provide an anti-slipping and traction increasing device with'an ice engaging spur whichfcan be easily and conveniently retracted to an inoperative position when the user is Walking on normal non-slippery surfaces in stores and public conveyances as well as other indoor surfaces.

Another object is to provide an anti-slipping and traction increasing device which can be readily appliejd'to the shank of each shoe of the wearer and can be adjusted to fit'shoes of various widths andsizes.

Another object is to .provide an anti-slipping and traction increasing device which can be cheaply and economically manufactured byconstructing the various parts of the frame structure from processed metal having portions stamped and cutto provide reinforcing corrugations-guide members for the spurs and various surfaces.

Another object is'to provide an anti-slipping and traction increasing device in which the spur or ice engagingprong isoperated by a manual control member which canbe conveniently manipulatedby the wearer to project or retract the ice, engaging spurdepending upon the character of the surface over which the wearer is walking. Another object is to provide an anti-slipping and traction increasin device in which the ice orsurface engaging spur is controlled by a rotatable member so arranged that when said ice Q 7v oth su ceen asingspur is p o c d the upward, force exerted on the rotatable member will be substantially. in direct alinement with the axis of said rotatable member so that only a slight resistance to rotation of the rotatable member will prevent the same from being displaced from its operative position.

' Another object is to provide a traction increasing and anti-slipping fifivice which is formed of a frame structure having complementary corru gated portions to form mutually engaging sliding :surfaces which hold 1 the frame sections in alineabutment ment at simu taneously "reinforce the stalk portion of said frame. I p .Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the cou rse of the following description of the accompanyingdrawingwherein: g I I z I v Figure 1 is a sidefelevational view of'thetraction increasing creeper "showing the, manner in which the same is. applied to the shoe of the wearer, and illustrating the surfacdengaging' spur in its projected position. V v I v i Figure 2 isa side elevatio'rial viewlsimilar fto Figure '1, but showing'portions of the frame and operating disc brokenfaway and, in s'ectionto illustrate various structural details, and nuistrating the surface engaging spur' in its retracted position. a V

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-csectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating various structural details of the frame structure and the manually controlled operating disc for projecting a'nd're'- tracting the surface engaging spur of the ice creeper, and

Figure 4 is a verticalcross-sectional iew taken online ded of Figure 3 showing the manner in which the frame members are corrugated to form V-shaped mutually engaging interfitting and sliding surfaces. v

In the drawing, and more in detail, there is shown for the purpose of convenience of illustration an ice creeper generally"designated 5 which is adapted to be positioned at the shank of 'ajc n ventional shoe illustrated in dotted lines in Fig ure 1.

The ice creeperand anti-slipping device'5 comprises a frame structure having angular frame members 6 and 1, each of which isformed with plate-like portions 8 and '9 respectively. The plate-like portions 3 and 9 are provided with reinforcing ribs Illand ll (Fig.4) which, in addition to reinforcing the plate-like members 8 and 9, provides mutually engaging V-shaped sliding surfaces to hold theplate-like portions Band 9 in alinement when the angularfranie sections 6 and 7 are adjusted relative to one another.

The plate-like members 8 and! of the respective frame sections are held togthenbyadj'usting screws I2 which extend through alin ed' slots l3 and I4 respectivelyof the plate-like members Band 9, and as illustrated in Figure 3, clamping nuts l5'are threaded on the screws 12 to hold the plate like 'se'ctions 8'and 9"in tight clamiiing afigagementone'withthe other. I

The angular frama'section'fiis provided with an upstanding portion l6 having a pair of spaced strap retaining loops l1 and I8 for accommodating heel and instep encircling straps C and D as illustrated in Figure -1 in dotted lines.

Similarly, the angle frame section I is formed with an upstanding wall 19 which is provided with strap receiving slots 20 and 2|, which correspond in position to the strap receiving slots l1 and 18 in the angular frame section 6, and the ends of the straps C and D are similarly looped through the slots 20 and 2| and are secured by buckles or other fastening means (not shown).

The angular frame section I is formed with an opening 23 in which there is received a disclike actuating member 24 and said disc-like actuating member is stamped to provide an annular wall 25 which terminates in an annular flange 26. The annular wall 25 is adapted to be received within the opening 23 to provide a snug fit, but yet permit free rotation of the disc-like member '24 in a manner which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Afilxed to the inner face of the disc-like member 24 is. a retaining disc 21 which is of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the opening 23 so that the peripheral edge will overlie the edge of the frame section 7 adjacent the opening 23. The clamping disc 27 is held in place by a screw 28' which extends through an opening in the actuating disc 24 and has its opposite end received in a correspondingly threaded opening in the retaining disc 21.

Formed integral with the annular flange 25 of thedisc 24 is an extension which extends tanedge portion is adapted to engage the upper edge is of the frame section 1 when the disc 24 is in one position. The upper portion i9 of the frame section 4 is ofiset as at 34 (Fig. 3)

to provide a curved 90 portion 35. Thus, the angular flange 36 on the extension 34 may move freely through an angle of 90 and will not engage the upstanding Wall portion I9 of the section 1.

The annular flange 25 is indented as at 35 for being alternately received in correspondingly shaped indented portions and 4! of the frame section 1. Thus, the actuating disc 24 can be frictionally held in positions of a 90 angular displacement.

The plate-like section 9 is struck out as at 42 to provide an outwardly struck lug 43 which is adapted to provide a guide for an ice engaging prong or spur 44, the upper end of which is rounded as at 45 and is provided with an opening 46 for receiving a machine screw 4?. The machine screw 41 is provided with an enlarged shank portion 48 and the inner end is reduced and threaded as at 49 for being received in a correspondingly threaded opening in the retaining disc 21. The enlarged shank portion 48 of the screw 41 passes through an opening 54 (Fig.

3) in the actuating disc 24. It will be noted, that the struck out lug 43 is provided with a passage 5| having oblique edge surfaces 52 to permit free sliding movement of the ice engaging prong or spur 44 when the same is projected or retracted, and it is to be noted that the lower end of the ice engaging spur is pointed as at 53 to penetrate the ice surface when theprong or spur is in its operative position.

In order to relieve the strain on the stud screw 41 the actuating disc 24 is pressed outwardly as at 54 to provide a protuberance having an arouately curved surface 55 corresponding in shape to the rounded portion 45 of the ice pick or spur 44. Also, it will be noted that the ice engaging spur guide 43 is positioned such that the line of force will be slightly rearward of the dead center of the actuating disc 24, so that when walking, on ice or other smooth surfaces, the upward force applied to the ice engaging spur 44 will not cause angular displacement of the actuating disc 24.

In operation, the ice creeper 5 is attached to the shank of a conventional shoe as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 with the straps C and D likewise shown in dotted lines embracing the heel and instep portions of the foot respectively. Should the wearer desire to project the antislipping ice engaging spur 44 the fingerpiece 32 is angularly displaced from the position shown in Figure 2 so that it assumes the position shown in Figure 1, with the ice spur projecting downwardly. With the ice spur in the position shown in Figure 1, the projection 39 will be received in the depression 4| and the actuating disc 24 will be frictionally held against angular displacement. If the wearer should desire to retract the ice engaging spur 44, the fingerpiece 32 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2. In this position, the projection 33 will be received in the depression 44 and the actuating disc 24 will be frictionally held in place with the ice engaging spur 44 retracted so that the lower pointed end 53 is above the plane of the sole and heel, S and H respectively, of the wearers shoe.

It is to be noted that when the ice engaging spur 44 is projected, the pointed end 53 extends beyond the lower plane of the shoe heel and sole H and S a distance of approximately /4 inch, and that by reason of the oblique edge surfaces 52 in the guide slot 5| the ice engaging spur 44 is held substantially rigid against movement in a lateral direction.

It is to be understood, that the form ofthe invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment thereof, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

' I claim:

1. In an anti-slipping device, a U-shaped frame adapted to be positioned beneath the shank portion of a shoe, said frame being formed of angular sections to provide upstanding side walls and overlapping plate portions, mutually engaging V-shaped ribs formed on said plate-like portions to reinforce the same and permit true sliding movement of said sections, bolt and slot connections for securing said plate-like sections in clamping engagement, a struck out lug formed on one of said sections having a guide opening, an ice engaging spur slidably mounted in said opening, a pressed metal disc-shaped actuator having an annular wall adapted to be rotatably received within'an opening in one of saidupstanding walls, a retaining disc securedto said actuator disc to hold the-same within said opening,'a pin carried by said actuating disc operatively connected to said spur and-a finger engaging portion formed on said actuator disc to movethe same through an angular distance approximately 90 2. In an anti-slipping device, a U-shaped frame adapted to be positioned beneath the shank portion of a shoe, said frame being formed of anular sections to provide upstanding side walls and overlapping plate portions, mutually engaging V-shaped ribs formed on said plate-like portions to reinforcethe same and permit true "sliding movement of said sections, bolt and slot connections for securing said plate-like sections in clamping engagement, a struck out lug formed on one of said sections having a guide opening, an ice engaging spurslidably mounted in said opening, a pressed metal disc-shaped actuator having an annular wall adapted to be rotatably received within an opening in one of said upstanding walls, a retaining disc secured to said actuator disc to hold the same within said opening, a pin carried by said actuatingfdisc operatively connected to said spur and a finger engaging portion formed on said actuator disc to move the same through an angular distance approximately 90, said actuating disc being provided with a projection having an arcuately curved surface for engaging a correspondingly curved surface on the upper end of the ice engaging spur to provide an abutment therefor.

3. In an anti-slipping and traction increasing device, a U-shaped frame adapted to -be positioned beneath a shoe with the side walls of the frame extending upwardly on each side thereof, an ice engaging spur slidably supported by one of said side walls to slide to and fro to its projected and retracted position, an actuator 'disc rotatably mounted on said upstanding side wall having a radially extending fingerpiece, a pin carried by said disc operatively connecting the upper end of the spur to said disc, said spur being arranged in diametral alinement with said disc when in its projected position and friction means for holding said disc in positions of angular movement and displacement approximately 90 apart.

CLARENCE L. PEN'NEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofjrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

